The top reported proficiency rate is 87% in English language arts. The lowest is 83% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Highlands Elem School
Highlands Elementary School serves students from pre-kindergarten through fourth grade in the unincorporated, single-building community of La Grange Highlands, a quiet, family-oriented residential enclave just south of the Village of La Grange in Cook County. The school is part of a two-school district that shares one facility with the middle school; the buildings sit at the civic heart of the neighborhood.
The school's academic performance shows solid results in the tested grades. In third and fourth grade state assessments, roughly four-fifths to nearly nine-tenths of students demonstrated proficiency in mathematics, with fourth graders outperforming third graders. In English language arts, third graders' proficiency was modestly below math, while fourth graders posted stronger results. The most recent science data available are from 2015-16; no recent science assessment results are reported, which appears to reflect the state's testing patterns at this grade band. Across all proficiency measures where data are reported, the school sits in the top quartile of Cook County school districts. Participation in state testing is complete.
The enrollment is small to mid-sized for an elementary school, with a full pre-K program and declining counts across the grade levels served. The student body is predominantly white, with meaningful representation of Hispanic students and smaller populations of Asian and multiracial students. Data on students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, on students with IEPs, and on English learners are not available, so a parent would want to ask the school directly about support programs and the presence of specialized services.
The district recently undertook substantial capital work: in 2022, it opened a major addition housing a STEM center serving both the elementary and middle schools, renovated the library, and added classrooms to handle enrollment growth. The district also adopted i-Ready as its mathematics curriculum starting in the 2025-26 school year, a shift that reshapes how math is taught and supported. Parents considering the school should ask about how that transition is unfolding in early grades.
La Grange Highlands itself is entirely built out, with homes sitting on half-acre or larger lots along quiet, grid-like streets and almost no commercial activity within the community boundaries. The neighborhood is family-focused and stable, with change now occurring mainly through teardown-and-rebuild on existing lots. Median home values in the zip code suggest a solidly middle-to-upper-middle-class housing market. The Metra BNSF line and regional highway access in nearby La Grange provide commuter connections.
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